


The Stirring

by sadhorse



Category: Night In The Woods (Video Game)
Genre: A pair of shoes were befouled in the making of this picture., Angst and Romance, Arguement, Bea does something dumb, Bea is sad, Canon Rewrite, Drunk kiss, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Gregg rulz okay, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, Inspired by Fanart, Jackie is kind of a jerk, Mae does something dumb, NITW characters are hard, Orientation Discovery, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 02:36:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadhorse/pseuds/sadhorse
Summary: (A rewrite of the Bonfire party scene.) Mae, drunk as all get out, does something that turns Bea's world on it's head.





	The Stirring

**Author's Note:**

> Something I had in mind after getting into the NITW fandom - late as per usual - and finding a comic that truly inspired me to write something. ((The comic in question is https://www.deviantart.com/snail-duck/art/Drunk-Kiss-671649184 ))
> 
> This was...tricky. Writing NITW characters is kind of a tall order. I think I did okay though!

               

* * *

 

                It happened so fast.

                One moment Mae was just ranting, raving, being drunk and…well, Mae. And then all the sudden she hopped onto a rock and thrust her lips against Bea’s mouth, kissing her deeply – or as deeply as she could manage.

                Her breath reeked of booze despite only having three cups of beer – the girl was tiny, so it made sense that she was a light weight. But despite that, there was…something. Something that Bea couldn’t process.

                A stirring.

                It made the young croc feel a…stirring.

                Something broke in her mind and as soon as the diminutive feline pulled away, she felt…disappointed. Not disappointed in her ‘friend’s’ actions, but disappointed at the kiss didn’t last longer. Why was she thinking that?! Why would she think that?! She’s straight! She’s always been straight why did she want a girl to kiss her, least of all Mae Borowski. Her mind became a screaming debate between a legion of different thoughts, all yelling louder and louder to make themselves heard in the cacophony.

                Warmth shot to her face as she tried to parse what just happened to her. Mae’s drunken ravings were muffled, as if Bea’s brain shut off her ears to try and figure out what the ever-loving fuck she was feeling.

                A hand on a shoulder brought her back into the waking world, making her turn with a gasp. It was her friend Jackie, a young goat woman laden with piercings and wearing half moon glasses, whom she had been hanging out with for a majority of the party.

                “Bea. You okay? You kind of froze for a second there.” She asked. “That was fucking embarrassing, ugh, why did you let that girl come along?” The girl added with a grimace. She did not like Mae. And truth be told neither did Bea.

                Or…at least she thought she didn’t.

                It was complicated.

                Bea ran a claw across her face, cringing at how clammy it was. Why was she sweating? It was autumn, at night. It wasn’t hot at all! And yet she felt like she was burning up all the sudden. Why was this happening to her?!

                She tried to ignore the feelings as best she could, put on a brave face. “Yeah. I’m…fine. Just…surprised and mortified.”

                “Hmph. I would be too. I have half a mind to tell that girl off.” Jackie growled, crossing her arms.

                “No no. Don’t do that. She…didn’t mean it, she’s just drunk.” Bea held her claws up towards her friend, earning her a belligerent scoff.

                “Drunk or not…that shit shouldn’t fly.” Sometimes Beatrice felt her cervine companion just liked to fight. She had a curious ability to take a lot of things the wrong way, or too far. She did care about her though, which is what the overworked young woman appreciated.

                “Just…give her some time. She’s…kind of going through stuff, I guess. First time back in years.” Bea peered over to her friend, who was now standing on a stump near the bonfire, drunkenly ranting. A soft sigh blew out of her nostrils as soon Beatrice’s mind tried to parse her emotions once more.

                Ugh…the flurry of thoughts were giving her a headache and stressing her out. She decided now was a good a time as any to light up. She fished her lighter and a cigarette out of her pocket, placing the cig between her lips and setting it ablaze as she turned away from the image.

                A slow, steady inhale, and a quiet exhale of smoke from her nostrils. The nicotine helped, and the taste of the cigarette helped distract her from the remnants of Mae’s booze breath. It did little to calm her mind though. Bea began rubbing the side of her head, her migraine still growing in strength, pressing against the back of her eyeballs.

                She looked back to the bonfire, watching her ‘friend’ continue to yell and rant. Then she saw Angus and his boyfriend Gregg on the other end of the clearing. “…I’ll be back.” The croc told Jackie, before lumbering her tall, lanky form across the party.

                As much as she hated to admit it, she could use some advice right now. And from someone less combative than the transsexual goat. She needed that big, quiet bear’s calm words.

                Once she passed by the fire, she could see the two more clearly. Gregg seemed to be laughing hysterically, while Angus looked a bit worried. He was smiling a little though, so the situation did tickle his funny bone in some way.

                “Yo, Bea! How’d she taste, dude?” Gregg exclaimed with a big, toothy grin, sniggering.

                Bea shot him a halfhearted glare. “Like booze.” She deadpanned.

                “I’m a bit worried about her. How many has she had?” Angus’s quiet voice chimed in, the large bear wringing his hands together.

                “…Three cups, I think.” The croc thought.

                Angus just quirked a brow behind his thick glasses. “…That little?” Then he brought one of those powerful hands up to his chin, looking slightly skyward in thought. “Though, I guess she is really small.”

                “Yeah. She’s tiny.” Bea distractedly agreed, and then immediately followed up with: “Look, can I…talk to you guys?”

                “Sure! Want some kissing advice?” Gregg snarked, making the croc grit her teeth. She didn’t need his annoying nature right now.

                “Gregg, could you be like, serious for once in your life?!” Bea snapped, making the couple lean back slightly in surprise. Immediately guilt weighed down on her heart, and she rubbed her arm sheepishly, looking away with a frown. “S-Sorry.”

                “No, it’s…cool. Sorry, dude.” Gregg smiled, a bit less mockingly this time. “Whatcha need?”

                “Are you feeling alright, Bea? You seem a bit feverish.” Angus finally spoke again, canting his head as he regarded the ‘dile’s still flushed face.

                “Yeah. I’m fine. Or…maybe I’m not…am I?” Bea sighed, and rubbed one of her temples before taking another drag of her cigarette. “I…I don’t know. I feel…weird.”

                “Weird how, dude?” The fox asked, crossing his arms and listening intently.

                Bea ignored the question as she tried to process what she would ask. The trio stood in silence for a few moments, making Gregg start to impatiently hop from foot to foot, peering up at Angus, who merely adjusted the glasses on his short nose.

                “When did you guys…find out?”

                The couple exchanged a confused look, before offering Beatrice the same. “…Find out what?” The bear asked.

                “That you were…you know…” _Oh god Angus please don’t make me say it out loud._

                “I’m…not following…”

                For once, it was Gregg that figured something out, and he suddenly became a new person. His ever-present smirk was gone. He actually…looked serious. He spoke quietly but clearly. “That we were gay?”

                Bea rubbed her arm again, giving a small nod before hanging her head uncomfortably.

                Angus’s ears perked in realization. “Oh. That.” Then he adjusted his glasses once more, quirking a strong brow. “…Why do you want to know? Did you…feel something?”

                “I…I don’t know.” Bea admitted. “More like…a lot of things and I can’t really seem to…process them.”

                “Anything down south?”

                “GREGG.”

                “Dude, I’m being completely serious, this is important!”

                Bea blinked as the fox regarded her with a stern expression. She closed her eyes and thought back to when Mae kissed her. Sure enough, she felt…a twitch. A bit of heat and pressure between her legs. Maybe a tiny bit of wetness.

                It made her frown, even panic. She shot her eyes open and clutched her head, hand shaking as she brought the cigarette up for another puff. She…she couldn’t be. She couldn’t be gay!

                “I’m guessing yes.” Angus stated calmly, reaching out a strong hand to set it on Beatrice’s shoulder. The touch calmed her a little, her thoughts quieting a little bit. “Bea. It’s okay. What you’re going through is normal. I felt the same way when I first discovered it. What y-“

                “ **BLUUURRRRGAAAAAHH!** ”

                “Oh god, my shoes!”

                The trio looked up from their conversation to find Mae…vomiting on a party goer’s shoes.

                “…Oh dude…” Gregg said, ears pinning back as he grimaced a little.

                It was time to take Mae home.

* * *

 

▲▼▲

* * *

 

                “If you puke in here, I swear to god…” Bea growled, glaring at the swaying feline in the passenger seat of her car. She was strapped to her seat by a tightened seatbelt to keep her still.

                The crocodile couldn’t help but be reminded of a mental patient, strapped to a bed. It didn’t help that Mae could easily pass for a psycho.

                _A psycho that fucking kissed me._ Bea reminded herself, sneering. She couldn’t forget that. Mae had kissed her and now her whole life, everything she knew about herself was suddenly drawn into question.

                She wished she wasn’t the designated driver, for once in her life she craved a stiff drink.

                Her drunken charge shifted in her straps wobblily, picking at them as if trying to determine their purpose. Or when they got there, more likely.

                “Don’t mess with your seat belt, Mae.” Bea couldn’t help but feel like a mother scolding a fidgety child. She knew it was unorthodox, but she couldn’t help but worry that Mae would fall over and somehow…choke on her puke and die.

                As much as the crocodile hated her right now, she felt compelled – whether it be by their past together or whatever the fuck that…stirring was – to act in the interest of the cat’s safety.

                Speaking of the stirring – she’d call it that from now on, was easier – Bea looked back to the road, splitting her attention between her thoughts and the road before them. Dangerous, yes, but this was Possum Springs and it was nearly midnight. There were no other cars on the road, all she had to do was keep straight and turn on occasion.

                Before she could really delve into her thoughts, however, the feline next to her decided to speak. “I’m shory I don’t eben knowhat hapdpend…” She hiccupped out, giving Bea a half-lidded gaze and reaching out toward her.

                Bea rolled her eyes and sneered. “You got sloppy-ass drunk after an impressive three cups of water-downed booze.” Seriously, a not even five-foot-tall girl like Mae should not be drinking anything.

                And yet, she looked kind of…cute there. Sort of like a big baby that Bea suddenly wanted to squeeze and cuddle and ki-

                _What the shit?! Where are these thoughts coming from?! You can’t like Mae, you-_

                Mae belched loudly, keeping her friend from concentrating on processing her own thoughts. “I rembem…rembembrrr whenn wee wrrr like…besh frens Bee…” The cat giggled drunkenly, shooting Bea a smile as the croc watched from the corner of her eye. “’Member? You…u uszta…ustza call me Maaaaayday…an’-an’-an’ I called you *hic* BeeBee…”

                _She still remembers? We were ten back then!_ This only complicated things. She thought Mae had forgotten about her, and yet even in her drunken state she could remember the good times they had so long ago. Bea shook her head and didn’t answer, trying to get to where she could tune the cat out so she could figure things out.

                Because those thoughts were _so much_ less complicated. Why was her mind filled with these images? About Mae of all people?! She hated the girl!

                _Well, okay…maybe not hate. Just…_ The croc shut her eyes tight. _No. Hate. Definitely hate. What’s wrong with you?! This girl gave up the thing you wanted most and treated it like it was nothing! She abandoned you as a friend! She- Oh fuck you’re still driving OPEN YOUR EYES!_ Bea shot open her eyes just in time to swerve into a turn and keep the vehicle from running headlong into a proud oak tree.

                If it wasn’t for her seat belt, Mae would have fallen over in her seat from the sudden jerky movement. She was too drunk to care though and exclaimed “Weee!” with inebriated glee.

                The near collision made the reptiles’ heart thump in her chest. _Cool it, Bea, cool it. You’re freaking out. Just, drive this pile of booze scented trash home_. _Yeah! That’ll work. That’s not the girl that just kissed you a half an hour ago. It’s just a trash bag, reeking of beer._ She envisioned it in her head, and suddenly the girl next to her was replaced by an orange garbage bag with a null set symbol on painted on it. That was better. She could think now; she could thrust those confusing thoughts deep into her mind where she’ll never find them again.

                Out of sight, out of mind.

                Except the trash bag was intent on breaking the illusion. “’M-Member when we were in shcoutsh together? An’ An’…” The bag of garbage seemed to struggle to find words. _Because it’s a trash bag. It has no brain._ Bea reminded herself. “An’ we caught that…that turdle? ‘Member, Bea?”

                Defying all logical thought, the reptile opened her mouth and spoke back to the talking sack of refuse. “Yeah. Boxy the turtle. He died.” She spat out, as quick as possible, instantly regretting engaging in conversation. _Just let her – no, it. Just let it ramble, don’t break the illusion, it can’t hear you anyway._

                Suddenly the cat – no the sack – stood up in its seat as best it could, crying out in an accusatory, annoyed tone. “Why you sho madatme allatime?!” A burp released from the passenger side, and the sack slumped back into he-its seat. “Awman if…I puke inhere your parentz are gonna be sho madatmee…” The bag turned to her.  “Tellyour mom I’m shorry okays shesh shoo niiiice…*hic*”

                And just like that, the illusion shattered. Gone was the garbage bag and was replaced with the garbage person. A person Bea used to call friend. Any sense of kindness or affection melted away as her mother was mentioned.

                “God DAMN it, Mae!” She hissed, making the drunk cat recoil slightly away from her.

                “W-Wha?!” The wide-eyed feline gasped out.

                “My mother is _dead,_ Mae. She _died._ Of fucking _cancer._ **_Senior year_**.” Bea gripped the steering wheel so hard she was sure with her strong claws she’d break the damn thing.

                “Oh noooo!” Mae lamented, her eyes starting to glimmer with moisture. “She was shooo nice! Beebee, aryou okaaay?!”

                The reptile didn’t even notice her friend was close to tears. “How do you not know this?” Her foot pressed harder on the accelerator, the car careening down the road at a dangerous speed. “Did you **forget** about your supposed _best friend’s_ dead mom?!”

                “Aw…I’m acting like sucha jerk…are you madat meh?” Mae’s gaze lowered toward the console in front of her. Her voice was almost…pleading.

                Bea tried to stop herself. She had said enough; the girl had just got back home, and she didn’t know what she was going through. She was drunk and had embarrassed herself. She just forgot, that’s all.

                The car came to a stop outside Mae’s house, and Bea put it in park, before gripping the wheel with both claws.

                _She forgot **you.**_

                All the sudden, Bea lost it. She lost control of herself. All the frustration, all the anger, all the confusion…it bubbled up inside her and erupted like a volcano. Her blood boiled, giving her face a dark red color. She didn’t even yell, her voice just rumbled out with a dark, hot venom. “What happened to you?” She asked, turning her gaze over to the strapped-up cat. “You used to be _smart!!!_ ” The volume of her voice began to rise as the furious girl dropped all of her problems on her former friend.

                _Stop it. Stop talking. Come on stop talking she doesn’t deserve this!_ Her mind pleaded with her as she eyed the cowering cat, tears welling up in her large eyes. But she didn’t listen, she couldn’t listen. Mae was the source of all her problems, from her loneliness in eighth grade onward to the confusing feelings swelling in her heart and mind. Every time she was with this girl it turned into trouble! And she had always kept with her despite it, because she liked her. Because she l-

                Bea didn’t finish that thought, she added it to the fire to fuel her emotional outburst. “You used to be cool! You used to be worth **talking to!** ”

                That one seemed to cut deep, because Mae gasped, and sniffled, her ears pinning back against her head. The crocodile kept going.

                “Why did you even come back?!” She bellowed. “Oh?! Did college not work out for you?!” Bea put on a mocking, consoling tone. “Was it too hard?! Was it inconvenient? Or were you just not in the fucking mood?”

                Mae was about to burst, staring at Bea like a child might stare at a monster. _Oh god, she’s trembling, what are you doing?!_ _Shut up, shut up, shut up!_

                “Do you know what I would have done for that?! I would have killed! Fuck, I still would! If it’d get me into college, I’d kick you out of this car and run you _THE FUCK OVER_!” She yelled so loud her voice broke. Oh god, she could feel tears coming out of her own eyes too. She just wanted to sit down and cry for a while, like she did the day her mom died.

                Unfortunately for her, Mae decided to do some crying of her own. She wailed out in sadness as great big, ugly tears streamed down her face. Snot trickled from her nose. Oh god was she an ugly crier.

                All the anger in Bea’s heart melted into deep guilt. What did she just do? That wasn’t cool. That wasn’t fair. Mae has problems, you always knew that, she can’t help it. And you just…destroyed her on perhaps one of the most vulnerable days of her life. Bea thought about apologizing…about consoling her and making up.

                But it wasn’t that easy. She still felt things – good things and bad things – about the weeping feline. She had to…distance herself from her. She couldn’t believe how hard it was to even think about doing that. Her heart sank into her stomach as she looked away from the pathetic image of her friend. “…Get…get the hell out of my car.” She mumbled; her anger now redirected at herself than at Mae.

                Mae only seemed to get louder, sobbing and sobbing for what seemed like forever.

                Finally, Bea had enough of waiting for the cat to get a grip. “Ugh, fine! Let me help you in!” She growled out, unbuckling her seatbelt and then Mae’s.

                The guilt only got worse.

* * *

 

                ▲▼▲

* * *

 

                “There you go.” Bea said flatly, as she set the now quiet Mae onto the futon that she called a bed. She didn’t stop to look around the room though, she was eager to leave. Eager to get this horrible night over with. She turned about to leave, but stopped when she heard her charge speak, slowly and sorrowfully.

                “I’m…sorry, Bea. I’m a complete mess.” Mae apologized. Her voice was so full of anguish and regret that it only made the reptile’s own guilty conscience feel worse.

                Bea turned toward the cat on the bed, chewing on her false cigarette in thought. Finally, she sighed, slumping her shoulders. “…You know? Whatever. It’s…not your fault. You’re just a kid.”

                “I’m two months older than you are.” Mae corrected with a slightly smug expression, one that…kind of made Bea smile for reasons unknown. At least for a moment, it soon gave way to a frown as the reptile continued.

                “Yeah…well.” She began, looking towards her reflection in the mirror near Mae’s door. “I stayed here and got older. You left and stayed the same.”

                She had expected a response, a perhaps, witty retort to her words. But all she got was the soft sounds of snoring. Bea turned back to see that Mae had fallen asleep in her bed, half covered by her blanket.

                She looked…surprisingly peaceful for what had just happened to her. What had just happened to them both. Bea watched a few moments more, and couldn’t help but smile at how…cute she looked when she slept.

                Despite all her brain cells telling her not to, to just leave and maybe never ever come back, the reptile sauntered closer to the futon, and pulled the covers up over the round, slumbering feline. She considered her for a moment, before giving a soft, defeated sigh.

                Bea removed her dummy cigarette, leaned over, and kissed the cat’s forehead, running a hand gently across her head. She had no idea why. Maybe it was the guilt. Maybe it was the weird feelings. Maybe it was just because she was so fucking tired. But she felt like she should do that.

                “…Good night…Mayday.”

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Just so you know, I'm not done with Noelle's gift, just hit a little bit of a roadblock, also doing summer classes this year, so I don't have all the time in the world. I'm working through it though, hoping to get it out by the middle of the month, at the latest.


End file.
